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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29569572">The Strength of A Woman</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Green3lf/pseuds/Green3lf'>Green3lf</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The X-Files</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Baby Fic, Dialogue_2021, F/M, Family Feels, Pregnancy, exchange fic, quiet moments</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:09:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29569572</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Green3lf/pseuds/Green3lf</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A quiet moment between Mulder and Scully as they await the birth of their baby. A little softness to brighten your Saturday.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fox Mulder &amp; Dana Scully, Fox Mulder/Dana Scully</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>X-Files Dialogue Fanfic Exchange (2021)</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Strength of A Woman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/bumblebee1220/gifts">bumblebee1220</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Bumblebee1220 requested the dialogue, "You can do it, Scully. You are the strongest person I know." So true! I hope you enjoy this, Ann Marie.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why are you so big?” Scully ran one hand over her prominent belly, peering over it to look at Mulder, sitting at the other end of the couch, his long legs stretching into the room, while he painted Scully’s toenails a delicate shade of violet. He bent over her raised left foot to blow a cool breath over the wet polish, and Scully shifted pleasurably at the sensation.</p><p>“Hmm, I don’t recall you complaining about that when we made this happen!” Mulder reached up and ran his own hand over his partner’s rounded form until his hand met hers. He laced their fingers together, mostly so she wouldn’t slap him for his cheeky comeback.</p><p>“Tall! Why are you so tall? Why didn’t I pick someone my height.”</p><p>“And it’s not like Frohike didn’t offer about a hundred times,” Mulder teased as he replaced the cap on the polish. Instead of releasing Scully, he began pressing his thumbs into the arch of her foot.</p><p>“Yes, if this little one was Melvin’s, I’d still be wearing my own clothes and the baby would just pop out in the shower one morning.”</p><p>“Uh, can I see that medical degree again, Doc? Cause that’s not how this is gonna happen you know.” Mulder laughed.</p><p>“Don’t! I’m perfectly aware of how this goes thank you, <em>Doctor</em> Mulder. Hence my concern that this child of yours is going to be enormous.”</p><p>“Again, thank you! Anyway, you know you chose me to add a bit of height to the Scully family gene pool. It’s a bit late to be complaining about it now, Miss.” He stretched a little closer and bopped her affectionately on the nose.</p><p>“Mm, that’s right. And what is the Mulder family lineage getting out of this arrangement?” Scully wondered.</p><p>“Skepticism and cold feet!” Mulder smirked up at Scully and then lowered his head to kiss his way into forgiveness. He pressed feathery kisses along the arch of Scully’s foot, careful not to smudge the wet polish. Scully was wearing soft grey leggings, so the amount of bare flesh available to him was limited. Finding this unacceptable, Mulder gently lifted Scully’s legs from his lap and placed them back onto the couch. He moved up to kneel on the floor beside her, grateful she’d insisted on some fluffy sheepskin nonsense to frame the couch and protect his knees. Mulder took Scully’s hand and raised it to his waiting lips.  He kissed his way from slender fingertip to shapely shoulder. Scully watched him, indulgently at first, but her big blue eyes grew darker as his kisses became slower and more deliberate. The thin strap of Scully’s camisole and the thicker one of her new maternity bra were no barrier to Mulder’s progress as he moved to worship her elegant throat, currently thrown back in a clear invitation for him to continue his ministrations. He pressed hot kisses against her pulse point, nipped his way up the tendon in her neck and sucked at the point just behind Scully’s ear that he knew drove her wild.</p><p>Reaching Scully’s jaw, Mulder paused to tuck a shining lock of hair back behind her ear and he looked down at the beautiful woman he had loved for so long. Scully had closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation of Mulder’s soft lips as they trailed along her skin. When she felt him still beside her she turned her head back towards him and opened her eyes, finding, as she’d expected, his limpid hazel gaze locked on her with a sense of wonder. There had been a time when she would have teased him or ‘Oh, brother-ed’ the moment away. But loss and love and longing had taught Scully to cherish these moments when Mulder was quiet and honest and cracked wide open for her. She reached up and pushed her fingers through his silky hair, encouraging him down to rest on his haunches, closer to her. When he was near enough, she lifted her other hand to cup Mulder’s cheek. Now his eyes closed to amplify the feeling of Scully’s tender caress. He nuzzled into her supportive hand, curving one long arm around their baby and the other he slid under Sully’s neck. He lowered his head to rest beside Scully’s as her fingers continued to scrape through his thick hair.</p><p>“You are going to be a wonderful daddy, Mulder,” Scully whispered. She knew better than anyone both Mulder’s capacity for love and his fear of hurting those who were most important to him. “I can’t wait until you are getting up in the night, changing this little one’s diaper and bringing them to me in bed to nurse.” She continued to rake her nails across Mulder’s scalp, sending little bolts of pleasure through his central nervous system.</p><p>“It sounds like I’m doing a lot of the heavy lifting in this dream sequence of yours, baby,” Mulder teased. He was feeling loose and playful under Scully’s loving touch. “What are you bringing to the table here, Scully?”</p><p>“Apart from birthing your enormous child, you mean?” She was joking, but Mulder sat up and stroked his hand across her belly as he searched her face intently. Scully captured his hand and drew it to her lips, pressing a kiss to his palm.</p><p>Mulder lowered himself until his head rested back next to Scully’s and his voice was soft and low in her ear. “Scully, honey, this isn’t the first time you’ve mentioned the size of the baby. Are you worried about the delivery?” Scully turned her face to Mulder’s and gave a little nod. Mulder tightened his arms around her slight frame. His hazel eyes sought out her blue ones.</p><p>“There aren’t many things in this world that I’m all that certain of anymore, Dana.” Scully’s lips quirked into a little smile when she heard her name. It wasn’t that Mulder never used it, but it was always when he wanted her to know he was sincere. “But there is one thing I know for sure: you can do this, Scully. You are the strongest person I know.” He paused while Scully considered his words. When she finally nodded he lightened the mood by adding, “It’s your body, so your call, but I say take all the drugs!” Mulder raised a playful eyebrow and was swatted on the shoulder by his now smiling partner. He leaned back into her and dared a quick kiss. “You will figure this out and I will be right here while you do.” Mulder sat up again to slide the camisole up and over the curve of Scully’s belly. He lowered to place a kiss against her taut skin.</p><p>“And after, I’ll be right here to change diapers.” Kiss.</p><p>“Massage your feet.” Kiss.</p><p>“Cook your breakfast.” Kiss.</p><p>“Kiss you senseless.” Kiss.</p><p>“Start with that one!” Scully’s breathy words interrupted Mulder’s litany to draw him back to her. He moved in to press a slow, hot kiss to Scully’s lips. She whispered against his mouth.</p><p>“You make me believe I can do anything, Mulder.”</p><p>“That’s because it’s true,” he whispered back. “You are extraordinary.”</p>
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